Tulane School of Medicine - General Medical Faculty

Composition of the Standing Committees of the Executive Faculty and the General Medical Faculty

General Medical Faculty Committees:	Committees of the Executive Faculty:
Curriculum Committee	Admissions Committee
Faculty Advisory Committee	Student Affairs Committee
Grievance Committee
Nominating Committee
Personnel and Honors Committee

Health Sciences Center Committees:
Institutional Review Board: Committee on the Use of Human Subjects in Research
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC)

APPROVED BY THE FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE FACULTY - MARCH 1993REVISED AND APPROVED BY THE FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE FACULTY - MARCH 2000

Admissions Committee

Purpose: The review and selection of qualified students to be admitted to the School of Medicine.

Composition: The Associate Dean for Admissions is the Chair. The Associate Dean for Student Academic Services is an ex officio member. There will be at least 26 voting members (10 Basic Science Faculty, 10 Clinical Science Faculty and 6 students). At the discretion of the Chair or Dean, additional members may be appointed, including but not limited to students and alumni.

Method of Selection: Appointed by the Dean from a list drawn up by the Nominating Committee.

Term: 3-year, staggered terms. If an appointed member is unable to complete his/her term, the Dean shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the appointed term, from a list supplied by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Quorum: One-fourth of regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: Annual reports are to be presented to the Dean, Executive Faculty, and General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Final. The Committee’s actions bind the good faith of the School of Medicine.

Advisory Committee For Information Technology (currently inactive)

Purpose: To serve in an advisory capacity to the Associate Dean of the Office of Information Technology (OIT) in matters relating to computer-based teaching, research and administration.

Composition: The Associate Dean of Office of Information of Technology is the chair. The Director of OIT will be an ex officio member. There will be 11 members (3 clinical science faculty, 3 basic science faculty, 2 residents, 2 medical students and 1 graduate student).

Method of Selection: Members will be appointed by the Dean from a list prepared by the Nominating Committee. Ad hoc committee members may be appointed as needed for specific tasks.

Term: 2 year terms. Only three consecutive terms may be served.

Quorum: Two-thirds of the regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: Dean, the Executive Faculty, and the General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Advisory

Committee Approved by GMF (4-8-02)

Cancer Education Committee (currently inactive)

Purpose: To advise the Curriculum Committee so that the basic and clinical sciences as they relate to cancer are taught in a cohesive, integrated manner throughout all four years of the medical curriculum.

Composition: The Assistant Director for Cancer Education of the Tulane Cancer Center is the Chair. The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Office of Educational Research and Services, and the Associate Dean for Student Services are ex officio non-voting members. There are seven voting members (three members of the basic science faculty, three members of the clinical science faculty, and one member of the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine). The voting members cannot serve concurrently as members of the Curriculum Committee of the School of Medicine.

Method of Selection: The Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty presents nominees based on recommendations from the Cancer Education Committee’s Chair.

Term: Three-year staggered term. If an appointed member is unable to complete the term, the Dean will appoint a replacement member from a list submitted by the Chair.

Quorum: One-half of regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Committee reports to the Curriculum Committee, the Dean, the Executive Faculty, and the General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Advisory

Committee on Student Financial Aid (currently inactive)

Purpose: To select recipients of the various scholarship programs administered by the medical school’s Office of Financial Aid.

Composition: The Director of Financial Aid is the Chair; the Financial Aid Coordinator and a representative from the Office of Financial Services serve ex officio. There will be six voting members: three basic scientists, three clinical scientists.

Method of Selection: The Dean will appoint members from those suggested by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Term: One year - with the possibility of reappointment by the Dean. If an appointed member is unable to complete his/her term, the Dean shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the appointed term, from a list supplied by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Quorum: Four regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Office of the Dean.

Actions: This is an action committee with all decisions final.

Curriculum Committee

Purpose: To oversee the curriculum for the undergraduate students in the School of Medicine. This includes core, elective and selective courses. The committee is responsible for evaluating programs, for approving and coordinating the schedule, for recommending changes, and for designing experiments in medical education to improve methods of teaching and evaluation of performance of students. The committee is concerned with the evaluation of the specific courses within the institution as well as performance of students, and making sure that standards are uniformly and fairly applied. The committee will monitor the performance of the students on external examinations, i.e., USMLE examinations. Additionally, the committee provides a forum for faculty discussion of curricular issues.

Composition: Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs is the Chair. The Associate Dean for Admissions, and a representative from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine shall serve as ex-officio, voting members. Twelve at-large voting members shall be elected from the General Medical Faculty (6 Clinical Science and 6 Basic Science), two faculty appointed by the Chair, the president of the Owl Club, one student each from the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes, the senior class member of the Organization of Student Representatives, (OSR), and the Director of the Foundations in Medicine Program shall be voting members. Other faculty members that are part of the Dean’s staff may be appointed at the Dean’s discretion to serve as ex officio members. The Chair votes only in case of a tie.

Method of Selection: Twelve (12) full-time faculty are elected by the General Medical Faculty; 6 Basic Science Faculty and 6 Clinical Science Faculty. In general, no more than two (2) faculty from the same academic department are elected for the same term. Two (2) faculty are appointed by the Chairman (Vice Dean for Academic Affairs). One elected student representative each from the Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes.

Terms: Elected faculty are for a term of three years and may be renewed once. If an elected member is unable to complete his/her term, the Chairman of the General Medical Faculty, with the consent of a majority of the Faculty Advisory Committee, shall name an interim member to serve at the pleasure of the Chairman and can be re-appointed on a yearly basis. Student terms can be from one to three years and the term will be determined by the Constitution of the Medical Student Body, Tulane University School of Medicine.

Quorum: One-half of the regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: Reports and recommendations are made to the Dean, Executive Faculty, and the General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Advisory

Faculty Advisory Committee

Purpose: To recommend action, organize meetings, and arrange the agenda for meetings of the General Medical Faculty; consult with officers on matters of policy; and review the financial status of the Medical School with particular respect to conformity with short- and long-term goals of the General Medical Faculty.

Composition: The Chairman of the General Medical Faculty will serve as Chair. The Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Treasury, and immediate Past-Chairman of the General Medical Faculty shall serve as ex-officio, voting members. The Dean shall meet regularly with the Advisory Committee to apprise them of major decisions made by the Dean and by the Executive Faculty. Twelve at-large voting members shall be elected from the General Medical Faculty (6 members from the Basic Sciences and 6 members from the Clinical Sciences).

Method of selection: Twelve (12) full-time faculty are elected by the General Medical Faculty; 6 Basic Science Faculty and 6 Clinical Science Faculty. No more than two elected members shall be from the same department.

Terms: Four members shall be elected each year for three (3) year terms.

Quorum: Simple majority.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Dean, the Executive Faculty, and the General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Advisory

Faculty Liaison with Support Departments Committee (currently inactive)

Purpose: To improve communications between faculty and support staff.

Composition: Five committee members from the General Medical Faculty compose the committee, and the Chairman is elected by committee members. Three committee members will represent the Clinical Sciences and two members will represent the Basic Science departments; the Vice-Chancellor for Administration and Finance will serve as an ex officio member.

Method of selection: Elected by the General Medical Faculty from a list submitted by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Term: Members are elected for three-year terms as follows:

Committee Member	*Years of Committee’s Existence (years)*
	1	2	3	4	5
A	3			3
B	3			3
C	2		3
D	2		3
E	2	3			3

Quorum: Two-thirds membership.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Chancellor of the Medical Center.

Actions: Advisory

Grievance Committee

Purpose: The Grievance Committee will consider matters including, but not restricted to, academic freedom, faculty tenure, faculty responsibilities, and complaints relative to dismissal of non-tenured faculty. Where appropriate, the Grievance Committee will recommend remedial action to be taken upon consideration of the matters listed above.

Composition: The Grievance Committee shall elect its own Chairman and function as the Executive Committee or equivalent designated in the University statement on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Responsibilities. It shall consist of the Chairman of the General Medical Faculty (ex officio); six elected faculty members (three from Clinical and three from Basic Science Departments); and the Dean (ex-officio), or a representative appointed by him. Initially, the three Basic Science members and three Clinical Science members will be elected for three-, two-, and one-year terms. After implementation, one new Basic Science member and one new Clinical Science member shall be elected each year for a three-year term. It is expected that a committee member who feels unable to rule objectively in a given case will withdraw from consideration of that case. The Chairman of the General Medical Faculty will appoint a replacement from the respective Clinical or Basic Science faculty.

Method of Selection: Six representatives elected from the General Medical Faculty (three from Basic Science, three from Clinical Science Departments); and the Dean, ex-officio, or a representative appointed by him.

Terms: The elected representatives shall serve for three-year terms. Initially, three Basic Science Members and three Clinical Science members will be elected for three-, two-, and one-year terms. After implementation, one new Basic Science member and one new Clinical Science member shall be elected each year.

Quorum: Two-thirds of the members present and voting.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: Recommended action is made to the Chairman of the Department involved and the Dean.

Actions: The Chairman of the department and the Dean implementing the action recommended.

Nominating Committee

Purpose: To propose nominees (two) for each position to be filled on the Advisory Committee, Grievance Committee, Representative to the University Senate, and Representative to the Senate Committee on Faculty Tenure, Freedom and Responsibility.

Composition: Seven (7) members to include three (3) from the Basic Sciences and three (3) from the Clinical Sciences elected by the General Medical Faculty; chaired by the Vice-Chairman of the General Medical Faculty.

Term: Elected members will serve two year terms. Three of the six members will be elected yearly. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms.

Quorum: Simple majority of the members present and voting.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Dean and the General Medical Faculty.

Actions: Advisory.

Personnel and Honors Committee

Purpose: To review and recommend approval/disapproval of all faculty appointments, re-appointments, promotions, and the awarding of tenure. To examine the policies on promotion and tenure, and advice to the Dean and Executive Faculty as to suggested changes in these policies and procedures.

Composition: The Dean shall serve as Chair. Twelve full-time voting members (6 Clinical Science and 6 Basic Science). The Chair votes only in case of a tie.

Method of Selection: Six Clinical Science members, 3 elected by the General Medical Faculty, and 3 appointed by the Dean. Six Basic Science members, 3 elected by the General Medical Faculty and 3 appointed by the Dean. All members will be tenured, senior faculty (Associate or Full Professors).

Term: 3-year, staggered terms. If an elected member is unable to complete his/her term, the Chairman of the General Medical Faculty, with the consent of the majority of the Faculty Advisory Committee, shall name an interim member to serve until the next election. If an appointed member is unable to complete his/her term, the Dean shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the appointed term.

Quorum: 7 voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Committee makes its recommendations to the Executive Faculty.

Actions: Advisory.

Radiation Safety Committee (currently inactive)

Purpose: As required in the Environmental Regulatory Code of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Part XV, Radiation Protection, the Joint Commission Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, in order to maintain our Radioactive Materials License, the Radiation Safety Committee has the following responsibilities:

Ensuring that all individuals who work with or in the vicinity of sources of radiation have sufficient training and experience to enable them to perform their duties safely and in accordance with regulations and conditions of the license.

Ensuring that all use of sources of radiation is conducted in a safe manner and in accordance with regulations and conditions of the license.

Be familiar with all pertinent regulations, the terms of the license, and information submitted in support of the request for the license and its amendments.

Review the training and experience of any individual who uses radioactive material (including physicians, technologists, physicists, and pharmacists) and determine that the qualifications are sufficient to enable them to perform their duties safely and in accordance with regulations and conditions of the license.

Establish a program to ensure that all individuals whose duties may require them to work in the vicinity of radioactive material (e.g., nursing, security, and housekeeping personnel) are properly instructed.

Review and approve all requests for use of radioactive material within the institution.

Prescribe special conditions that will be required during a proposed use of radioactive material such as requirements for bioassays, physical examinations of users, and special monitoring procedures.

Review the entire radiation safety program at least annually to determine that all activities are being conducted safely and in accordance with regulations and conditions of the license. The review shall include examination of all records, reports from the radiation safety officer, results of inspection, written safety procedures, and management control systems.

Recommend remedial action to correct any deficiencies identified in the radiation safety program.

Maintain written records of all committee meetings, actions, recommendations, and decisions. Minutes of the Committee meetings shall include: the date of the meeting, listing of the members present, listing of the members absent, a summary of the deliberations, a record of the recommended actions and the numerical results of any ballots.

Ensure that the radioactive material license is amended when necessary, prior to any changes in facilities, equipment, policies, procedures, and personnel.

Composition: Includes representatives from Nuclear Medicine, Radiology/ Radiation Oncology, Nursing and Management; the RSO shall also be a member of the Committee. A quorum of the Committee must include: (a) the RSO; (b) a representative from management; and (c) at least 50% of all Committee members.

Method of Selection: Appointed by Dean from a list drawn up by the Nominating Committee.

Term: Open - with one year minimum. If an appointed member is unable to complete his/her term, the Dean shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the appointed term, from a list supplied by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: The Dean and appropriate regulatory bodies.

Actions: The Radiation Safety Committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct its business but not less than quarterly, or as often as the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires.

Student Affairs Committee

Purpose: To make recommendations involving academic or other deficiencies, appeals from decisions in cases of violation of the honor code, grievances, requests for leaves of absence, and nominations for honors.

Composition: The Associate Dean for Student Affairs is the Chair. The Associate Dean of Admissions and the Associate Dean of Student Services are ex officio, non-voting members. There will be 14 voting members (6 Clinical Science Faculty, 6 Basic Science Faculty, and 2 students). Other faculty members that are part of the Dean’s staff may be appointed at the Dean’s discretion to serve as ex officio members.

Method of Selection: The Dean appoints members from those suggested by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Term: 3-year, staggered terms. If an appointed member is unable to complete his/her term, the Dean shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the appointed term, from a list supplied by the Nominating Committee of the General Medical Faculty.

Quorum: One-half of regular voting members.

To Whom Does the Committee Report: Reports made to the Dean, the Executive Faculty, and the General Medical Faculty

Actions: Advisory.

The End

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